Review: Reality XP GTN 750

A GPS may not just be a GPS. The GTN 750 is a lot more and Jeff decided to take a look at the Reality XP GTN 750 for X-Plane.

One of the aspects of the simulation community I really enjoy is the diverse demographic of people that this hobby attracts. An aspect I really respect about the simulation community is that many of those people approach the hobby with a realistic mindset and try to conduct their respective flights with as much realism and authenticity as possible.

Thankfully for the community, RealityXP released their GTN 750/650 some months ago and shortly thereafter, helico25 from the forums, integrated the GTN 750 into the Dream Foil Bell 407 panel. FlywithLua created by X-Friese, enables the unit to be placed into any aircraft panel of choice (plus a whole host of other features that frankly confuse me).

If you happen to be a simulator enthusiast that really enjoys getting down and dirty into flight planning, this is a must-have addition. Rather than focusing on the pre-flight planning though, the GTN 750 really excels during the flight itself.

On many modern helicopters, operators are demanding live data as they conduct operations: fuel burn information, airport data, winds and terrain/traffic avoidance are common place kit on aircraft like the Bell 407GXi, Bell 429 and several Airbus models. With the integration of the RealityXP GTN 750, many of those same features can supplement your existing aircraft.

Features

High Resolution Terrain mapping

Class A or B TAWS alerting

Airspace altitude limitations

Moving map

Graphical flight planning tools

“Rubber Band” feature that enables users to modify flight plans on the fly

Ability to build/save custom waypoints

Full NAV/COM integration and interface

Compatible with Autopilot/SAS features to drive the autopilot for course guidance

“Touch screen” interface saves time when inputting data into the unit

Fully configurable within the simulator to enhance user interface

Airport “data” database including runways and approaches

Favorite Features

One aspect I really enjoyed about the RealityXP GTN was the ability to pull up fuel planning and flight planning data from the menu while in flight. These respective menus provide a host of information that enable more flexibility and precision when flying. The fuel burn page provides the option for users to utilize sensor data (off the fuel probes) from a present position or a pre-defined position to quickly figure out:

Usable fuel

Fuel flow

Fuel required for the flight

Fuel required for the next leg

Range

Efficiency

Endurance

Reserve

In addition to other handy features on subsequent flight planning pages, I really appreciated how I could modify displayed data on the moving map itself. I could change the data fields, display just terrain, or display terrain and terrain/traffic avoidance all on one screen.

Integration with VR

Ever since getting VR, I can’t bring myself to fly without it. Sadly, this is where RealityXP shows its one weakness.

To be fair, it’s not RealityXP’s fault, its has to do with the X Plane SDK (insert more smart programming talk) but it boils down to an inability for the simulator’s VR interface to talk with the unit. This makes it unable to interface with the VR controller from the virtual cockpit.

On the upside, there is a handy solution! I was able to easily bind my “pop-up” GTN window to a keyboard shortcut and then utilize the VR controller to re-size and re-position the pop-up window in the cockpit (such as if I were mounting it to the windscreen or using it independently).

Although, the one glaring downside does come with an upside that makes the steep cost worth every penny. To change data, modify points and input fields into the unit, its simulated to use a touch screen. So rather than using the VR controller to attempt to input a new airport, one can simply use the touch screen to input the airport identifier, squawk code or a host of other input fields. This makes flight planning and simulator usage infinitely easier!

Cost

Cost per license is $49.95 which seems a bit steep for an add-on to supplement an aircraft. Although, that price tag also provides Garmin’s Aviation Trainers which can be immensely helpful for pilots that are either students or experienced aviators familiarizing themselves with the avionics provided in their real aircraft.

Not to mention, the functions that the GTN 750 provide are vast and professionally put-together. Overall, I feel its worth such a high price point.

Installation

This is the scary part – the installation can seem to be a bit of a bear for someone who isn’t computer savvy (like myself).

Thankfully, helico25 made the file a breeze to install into the Dream Foil 407 so I didn’t have any issues there. Where I did encounter some trepidation was attempting to install FlywithLua. If you’re already a FlywithLua user, then this isn’t really a problem but for someone like me, the program is very advanced.

Thankfully again, X-Friese provides amazing installation instructions and an easy to use manual to figure out the basics or more advanced features if you’re so inclined. Surprisingly, I was able to install it with no issues and have the entire system up and running in 15 minutes (and that’s because I re-read the instructions 3 times before I did anything).

Closing

If you really want to take your simulation to another level and provide a very useful, well made and professional product to either the Dream Foil 407, or any other aircraft, the RealityXP GTN 750 is a worthy and powerful addition to any aircrafts’ panel. Yes, its expensive but purchase with confidence – it’s worth every penny.

Our rating

Positives

Negatives

At $49.95, can be expensive for some users

Installation is a bit of a bear if you’re not practiced at it

VR interface is still frustrating at times

Bottomline

I haven’t found a lot of modules that do a great job of melding simulation and realistic functions so seamlessly. Often, they fall short in one aspect or another but the RealityXP product goes above and beyond and really provides a solid product that is not only appropriate for helicopters, but every aircraft in your inventory.

Please note: the link above was either provided by the author of the product, the store that sent us the review copy or a personal choice of the article writer. It does not, in any way, indicate an endorsement of HeliSimmer.com to the website hereby linked.

About Jeff Tucker

Jeff has been playing with flight simulators for 20 years. Thankfully, he was able to convince people to actually let him fly helicopters and get paid to fly too! After seeing many simulator pilots with the desire to talk with industry professionals and figure out “how its really done,” he’s always looking for new ways to help the simulator community.